DRINKING WATER
AMERICAN And Partners Install Boltless Restrained Underwater Pipeline System In Ashland, Wisconsin
Beneath the waters of Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior in Ashland, Wisconsin, about 4,500 feet of 24-inch AMERICAN Flex-Ring Ductile Iron Pipe and a submerged timber crib intake structure were installed to ensure the city’s residents have quality drinking water for the next 100 years. The Ashland Water Intake Project began May 1, 2025, and is now complete.
DRINKING WATER CASE STUDIES AND WHITE PAPERS
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Digital Transformation In Water: The 9 Key Success Factors
Climate change, urban population growth, aging infrastructure, budgetary constraints and increasing regulatory pressure are some of the many challenges facing US water utilities.
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![Bell_Joint_Leak_Clamps_iStock-1086643492_450_300]( "Clamping Down On Bell-Joint Leaks")
Clamping Down On Bell-Joint LeaksWhen one considers all the bell joints in a water distribution or wastewater collection system — caulk-joint or rubber-joint — and all the stresses to which they are subjected, it is a wonder there are not more leaks. Fortunately, bell-joint-leak clamps provide a reliable and relatively easy-to-install solution — if they are properly specified and installed. Here are some key points to consider when trying to remedy bell-joint leaks.
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![Mueller Pipeline Feature]( "Avoiding Misguided Pipeline Replacement Expenses")
Avoiding Misguided Pipeline Replacement ExpensesWhichever the relevant adage — measure twice, cut once…a penny saved is a penny earned…look before you leap — the concept of being thoroughly prepared to minimize lost time, wasted money, or potential embarrassment is well founded.
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![madison-county]( "The AMI Water Meter That Modernized Madison County")
The AMI Water Meter That Modernized Madison CountyExplore how Madison County, challenged by increased demand, a growing customer base, and a system that was administered by the city, decided it was time to transition to an AMI water meter solution.
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![LombardiCS]( "Chicago Suburb Ensures Highest Water Quality Year-Round, Saves On Labor And Reagents With New Chlorine Analyzers")
Chicago Suburb Ensures Highest Water Quality Year-Round, Saves On Labor And Reagents With New Chlorine AnalyzersFor the Village of Lombard’s Water Division, consistently delivering high-quality tap water to the community’s nearly 44,000 residents and the businesses serving them was once quite a juggling act: constantly fixing old, temperamental analyzers; feeding reagents into the old analyzers; and staying ahead of callers complaining about “musty” water tastes and odors. Not today.
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![iStock-1207345433.jpg]( "A Natural Approach To Algae Treatment And Prevention")
A Natural Approach To Algae Treatment And PreventionOperators of lakes, rivers, reservoirs, and other waterbodies commonly introduce harmful chemicals and other compounds — such as antibacterials and bleach — in an attempt to rid the water of problems such as algae and toxins. However, with beneficial bacteria it is possible to achieve a balance in water or discharge by reducing phosphorus and other key parameters naturally, thereby eliminating or drastically reducing the food source for algae.
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City Of Springfield, MO, Upgrades Disinfection System From Gas Chlorine To On‐Site Sodium Hypochlorite Generation
In April 2013, City Utilities started up three Microclor Model MC‐1500 skid systems, each rated at 1,500 pounds per day of free available chlorine.
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![3NsZU2-Kasco-CertiSafe_-WhitePaper-Active-Mixing-Solves-Water-Tank-Problems-1]( "Active Mixing Solves Water Tank Problems")
Active Mixing Solves Water Tank ProblemsAdding one component to water storage tank systems can go a long way toward solving many tank integrity and longevity and water quality problems. Kasco Marine examines how.
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![GettyImages-1174752803 housing complex]( "Multifamily Complexes: The Rise Of Smart Water Management")
Multifamily Complexes: The Rise Of Smart Water ManagementResidential communities, whether they house dozens or hundreds of families, increasingly view themselves as miniature towns with unique needs and challenges. One area where this perspective is particularly evident is in water network management.
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Global Pharmaceutical Company EnviQ Membrane Bioreactor (MBR)
The Serum Institute is a global pharmaceutical company that is one of the world’s largest producers of vaccines. The Institute was planning an expansion to their manufacturing plant in Pune, India, that resulted in an additional water requirement for the plant’s needs.
DRINKING WATER APPLICATION NOTES
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Application Note: Troubleshooting A pH Electrode1/26/2011
Many factors affect performance of a pH electrode. When performance degrades, it is always a challenge for the analyst to identify the cause. Common troubleshooting procedures, which include evaluation of slope, electrode drift, time response, and accuracy, take considerable time. By Thermo Fisher Scientific
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Activated Carbon And Adsorption Of Trichloroethylene (TCE) And Tetrachloroethylene (PCE)12/30/2013
Trichloroethylene (TCE) and Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) are two of the most common solvents that contaminate groundwater supplies in the United States. Both solvents see frequent use in the extraction of fat, in the textile industry, in the production of various pharmaceutical and chemical products. TCE is also used as a degreaser from fabricated metal parts, and PCE serves as a component of aerosol dry-cleaning solvents.
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How To Install A Submersible Pump In Discharge Tubes11/28/2012
In the fields of water and waste water technology, submersible pumps represent a viable economic and technical alternative to conventional, dry-installed pumps. In particular, they offer a number of handling advantages during maintenance and installation work.
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Recording & Control: In Coagulant Dosage Applications For Potable Water Treatment7/1/2019
Potable water or drinking water as it is also known, is water that is safe to drink or to be used in food preparation. Typically, in developed countries, tap water meets the required drinking water standards, although only a small proportion is actually drank or used in food preparation.
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Determination Of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons In Seafood4/20/2015
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of organic compounds found naturally in the environment. PAHs are monitored by the US Environmental Protection Agency due to their carcinogenic characteristics.
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Operations And LRV Calculations At Southwest Pipeline Project Drinking Water Treatment Facility4/14/2016
This presentation will discuss the operation of a 4 MGD pressurized two-stage Ultrafiltration (UF) plant over a 14 month period at the Oliver-Mercer-North Dunn (OMND) Drinking Water Treatment Facility, North Dakota.
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Water Determination In Liquefied Petroleum Gas Using GC BID And Ionic Liquid Column Watercol™6/28/2018
Water in petrochemical feedstocks can cause problems for processors. Freezing of pipe lines and valves and poisoning of expensive catalysts are just a few examples.
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Application Note: Water Flows From The Golden Hills Of California1/20/2010Each morning John Johnson drives the few miles from his smalltown home in northern California to the Center at Pardee Reservoir. Nestled among the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, the reservoir is a long 100 miles away from San Francisco Bay. By YSI
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Free Chlorine Measurement In Drinking Water Treatment12/21/2005
Before water can be used as a safe and reliable source for drinking water, it must be properly treated. Since water is a universal solvent, it comes in contact with several different pathogens, some of which are potentially lethal, and inactivation is accomplished through chemical disinfection and mechanical filtration treatment. This treatment consists of coarse filtration to remove large objects and pre-treatment which includes disinfection using chlorine or ozone
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Removal Of PFCs With Activated Carbon12/30/2013
In recent years, various perflorinated chemicals (PFCs) have come under increasing scrutiny due to their presence in the environment, in animals, and in human blood samples. There are two major classes of PFCs: perfluoroalkyl sulfonates such as perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and long chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylates such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA).
DRINKING WATER PRODUCTS
The ULTRAPEN™ PTBT3 ORP & Temperature Pen is Bluetooth Enabled for use with your mobile devices.
In municipal drinking water applications or pre-treatment for desalination plants using gravity filters, the filter underdrain is one of the most important components contributing to overall system performance and operation — whether a new filter design or retrofitting an existing filter.
Get benchtop lab accuracy in an easy-to-use, easy-to-maintain, wireless, handheld instrument designed for diverse, demanding, water quality testing applications. Select from a variety of pocket testers, each featuring simultaneous measurement of Temperature and one critical parameter:
Looking for a Skid Mounted Complete Metering System, but your equipment room is short on space? The New CHEM-FEED CFCS is engineered for small spaces. It features a compact design and small footprint. The skid is constructed of tough, lightweight chemical and UV-resistant polyethylene, and it ships fully assembled with all necessary components for easy install and fast startup. Wall or Shelf Mount. One or Two Pump Models.
De Nora Water Technologies developed the direct gas-pressure chlorinator for applications where electricity, used to operate a booster pump, and water pressure, required for ejector vacuum operation, are unavailable.
Shelter space and the overall initial investment in analytical equipment can be expensive. The PGC5000 oven with an integrated controller offers a low initial investment solution by integrating the single board computer (SBC) directly into the PGC5000B or PGC5000C gas chromatograph ovens.
LATEST INSIGHTS ON DRINKING WATER
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![LakeSuperior_Getty-1405284925]( "PFAS Are Turning Up In The Great Lakes, Putting Water Supplies At Risk — Here's How They Get There")
No matter where you live in the U.S., you have likely seen headlines about PFAS being detected in everything from drinking water to fish to milk to human bodies. Now, PFAS are posing a threat to the Great Lakes, one of America’s most vital water resources.
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![tractor_sludge_Getty-2155530305]( "Why Too Much Phosphorus In America's Farmland Is Polluting The Country's Water")
When people think about agricultural pollution, they often picture what is easy to see: fertilizer spreaders crossing fields or muddy runoff after a heavy storm. However, a much more significant threat is quietly and invisibly building in the ground. -
![EnvironmentPeople_004]( "Water In 2026: The Nexus Of Policy, Technology, And Resilience")
As water systems become more circular and complex, understanding and managing the subsurface — the hidden half of the water cycle — is becoming a critical enabler of resilience. This article explores the key trends shaping this new reality, from tackling “forever chemicals” to the water strategies redefining heavy industry. -
![Cutting Red Tape-GettyImages-502421630]( "How The NEPA Rollback Will Impact Water And Wastewater Industries")
The White House has finalized plans to roll back rules under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), narrowing its focus and limiting what the current administration claims are needless delays for federal approval of water, energy, and other infrastructure plans. For water and wastewater utilities, the changes could speed up permitting for critical projects, although experts warn the tradeoffs could do more harm than good. -
![Ultraviolet lamps for water disinfection-GettyImages-1271779123]( "Setting Global Standards: Inside North America's Only Full-Scale UV Disinfection Validation Facility")
Setting Global Standards: Inside North America's Only Full-Scale UV Disinfection Validation FacilityPortland's industry-leading facility reaches 100 reactor validations in 23 years. -
![Water analysis, purification, filtration, treatment, quality monitoring, contamination detection-GettyImages-2234293664]( "Why Haven't Field Tests For Lead In Water Gone Mainstream?")
Given the maturation of sensor technology, the scientific and operational hurdles to portable lead analysis are somewhat surprising — but surmountable.
DRINKING WATER VIDEOS
Out of sight, the country’s underground water infrastructure is aging and failing. In this interview, AMERICAN’s Derek Scott and Maury Gaston discuss the problem, challenges facing cities, and the latest technologies for providing and protecting one of our most precious resources — water.
More than 100 beers were on tap during the Xylem beer tasting event in New Orleans. While each beer had it’s own flavor, every beer was brewed with one special ingredient… reuse water. Watch the video to learn more.
"Wastewater Dan” talks with FOX 4 News Kansas City about drought conditions in California and procedures to conserve water in the home. He also demonstrates the use of a total dissolved solids (TDS) meter to test drinking water quality, and interprets the results.
Discover how specialized restrained joints facilitate efficient horizontal directional drilling and bridge piping through a simplified, tool-free assembly process that ensures long-term reliability in challenging environments.
ABOUT DRINKING WATER
In most developed countries, drinking water is regulated to ensure that it meets drinking water quality standards. In the U.S., the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administers these standards under the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA).
Drinking water considerations can be divided into three core areas of concern:
- Source water for a community’s drinking water supply
- Drinking water treatment of source water
- Distribution of treated drinking water to consumers
Drinking Water Sources
Source water access is imperative to human survival. Sources may include groundwater from aquifers, surface water from rivers and streams and seawater through a desalination process. Direct or indirect water reuse is also growing in popularity in communities with limited access to sources of traditional surface or groundwater.
Source water scarcity is a growing concern as populations grow and move to warmer, less aqueous climates; climatic changes take place and industrial and agricultural processes compete with the public’s need for water. The scarcity of water supply and water conservation are major focuses of the American Water Works Association.
Drinking Water Treatment
Drinking Water Treatment involves the removal of pathogens and other contaminants from source water in order to make it safe for humans to consume. Treatment of public drinking water is mandated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the U.S. Common examples of contaminants that need to be treated and removed from water before it is considered potable are microorganisms, disinfectants, disinfection byproducts, inorganic chemicals, organic chemicals and radionuclides.
There are a variety of technologies and processes that can be used for contaminant removal and the removal of pathogens to decontaminate or treat water in a drinking water treatment plant before the clean water is pumped into the water distribution system for consumption.
The first stage in treating drinking water is often called pretreatment and involves screens to remove large debris and objects from the water supply. Aeration can also be used in the pretreatment phase. By mixing air and water, unwanted gases and minerals are removed and the water improves in color, taste and odor.
The second stage in the drinking water treatment process involves coagulation and flocculation. A coagulating agent is added to the water which causes suspended particles to stick together into clumps of material called floc. In sedimentation basins, the heavier floc separates from the water supply and sinks to form sludge, allowing the less turbid water to continue through the process.
During the filtration stage, smaller particles not removed by flocculation are removed from the treated water by running the water through a series of filters. Filter media can include sand, granulated carbon or manufactured membranes. Filtration using reverse osmosis membranes is a critical component of removing salt particles where desalination is being used to treat brackish water or seawater into drinking water.
Following filtration, the water is disinfected to kill or disable any microbes or viruses that could make the consumer sick. The most traditional disinfection method for treating drinking water uses chlorine or chloramines. However, new drinking water disinfection methods are constantly coming to market. Two disinfection methods that have been gaining traction use ozone and ultra-violet (UV) light to disinfect the water supply.
Drinking Water Distribution
Drinking water distribution involves the management of flow of the treated water to the consumer. By some estimates, up to 30% of treated water fails to reach the consumer. This water, often called non-revenue water, escapes from the distribution system through leaks in pipelines and joints, and in extreme cases through water main breaks.
A public water authority manages drinking water distribution through a network of pipes, pumps and valves and monitors that flow using flow, level and pressure measurement sensors and equipment.
Water meters and metering systems such as automatic meter reading (AMR) and advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) allows a water utility to assess a consumer’s water use and charge them for the correct amount of water they have consumed.